Evaluate the trade, not a hidden score
The game treats action and inaction as choices. Before committing, identify the visible time cost, the person or faction affected, and whether the objective grants information or access needed elsewhere. A choice can be locally successful and still close another route.
Preserve context
Maintain a save before a major decision and record why you chose it. A web answer that labels one result “best” may be optimizing a different relationship or ending. Use walkthroughs to locate the decision boundary, then decide from your own priorities rather than importing their conclusion.